A papal portent? Hard to say, but Arinze, who serves as the prefect emeritus of the Congregation for Divine Worship, said Monday's news shocked church officials as much as the church's faithful, said CNS.

The former head of the Vatican Secret Archives, Cardinal Raffaele Farina, confirmed to CNS that the cardinals in the room "were all surprised, at a loss, frozen, no one had expected it." The pope said he made the decision on health grounds.